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middleofsomewhere2022-10-25 04:21 am
voidtreckermods) wrote in middleofsomewhere2022-10-25 04:21 am
We Approach Our Final Hour
The days after the celebrations are filled with helping those from system #1015 get settled, or just by resting and recuperating after what was a difficult battle.
A couple of days later however Void Minister Till once again calls all the voidtreckers, scientists and other interested parties to a meeting. She looks a lot less grim this time.
To Return Home
"We are now able to see the way to return you to your non-travelling selves. This will untether you from both the Voidtrecker Express and the void. Your bodies on your worlds are, for the most part, well. Tethering is a powerful thing so even those from places that do not have the technology to sustain an unconcious person for a long period of time will find themselves well, though feeling some lingering fatigue. Time has passed in all your worlds and I know it will be difficult to explain your absence." She smiled softly.
"We don't ask you to keep the void completely secret, but especially those from places with a low level of technology should use their discretion when talking about their adventurers. You will not be voidtreckers anymore. You all come from non void active worlds and so until those worlds join the void network you must remain on them. Those from the void can always visit you and we will endeavour to pass on messages between worlds if there are those you wish to remain in contact with. This is the option we expect most of you will take."
To Remain
She lets the any comments or discussions about that bubble for a moment before she presses on. "However, we are very aware that there are those of you who do not have homes to return to. Some of you were tethered on the brink of death. Some of you come from places now destroyed. Some of you have physical places to return but have found family and friendship in the void far greater than anything you had in your lives before." She paused.
"For you we offer another option. You may remain. We believe that as we detangle your tethers from the Voidtrecker Express we can tether you, properly tether you, to this void base." She looked around. "I won't mince words, this option means that your non tethering selves will be no more, your bodies back on your world will die. You will be like those of Osiga and now those of system #1015. You would not be able to return to live on your world." She paused, to let the gravity of that sink in.
"You will always have a home on this base and from here..." She smiled warmly. "You can do what you wish. There are many mission craft that would happily take you on if you have found you have enjoyed assisting worlds in need. Otherwise there are other craft, scientific voyaging craft, tourist craft. We will help you find a place. Though you are free to go your own way, this would be your base but you would not be obligated to remain here. You would be welcome to visit those who return to their worlds, though we would ask that you limited visits to your own, to avoid complications." Again she gave a moment, for the discussion around that to die down before she spoke again.
To Go Back
"Finally. We are aware there are some of you in very difficult situations. Where taking you from your world has led to your whole world, or large parts of it in grave danger. We are aware worlds have fallen, for lack of you. For you we make another offer. We do not make this lightly, it is risky and we ask that those taking it have very good reason.." She looked around, silent and serious.
"We believe that using what we learned of anchoring through time we can return you, not only to the place you were brought from, but the moment. You would remember all that has passed but to your world it would be as if you were never gone at all." A pause.
"Because of the grave risks associated with this, we will be sealing the worlds of those that return in this way. These systems will never become void active and no void craft may enter those systems. As I say, it is not an option we give lightly."
The Choice is Yours
"Whatever you choose we will support you in it. We are also aware there are many of your number not with you. Please be assured that we are working through their tethers. We will do our best to give them the same choices and at the very least we will return them all to their homes. I understand there is a lot to think about. We believe we can hold on to your tethers for a couple more days and so please take this time to talk it through and to say your farewells."
She falls silent and steps back, letting people talk and discuss, whilst remaining close.
A couple of days later however Void Minister Till once again calls all the voidtreckers, scientists and other interested parties to a meeting. She looks a lot less grim this time.
FINAL CHOICES
"Thank you all for gathering again. As you know we have been working on figuring out what was happening with your tethers, trying to untangle them from the Voidtrecker Express and find you a way home." She gave a tired smile.
"However with the resolving of the time paradox surrounding system#1015 it seems much of our work is out of our hands, your tethers seem to be detangling themselves and so our work quickly moved to keeping you all stable enough to remain here, because we are very mindful that you deserve a choice in this and a chance to say your farewells. You were brought here without your knowledge or consent and despite that have done a great service to the void so before I say anything else I wish to thank you, on behalf of us all."
To Return Home
"We are now able to see the way to return you to your non-travelling selves. This will untether you from both the Voidtrecker Express and the void. Your bodies on your worlds are, for the most part, well. Tethering is a powerful thing so even those from places that do not have the technology to sustain an unconcious person for a long period of time will find themselves well, though feeling some lingering fatigue. Time has passed in all your worlds and I know it will be difficult to explain your absence." She smiled softly.
"We don't ask you to keep the void completely secret, but especially those from places with a low level of technology should use their discretion when talking about their adventurers. You will not be voidtreckers anymore. You all come from non void active worlds and so until those worlds join the void network you must remain on them. Those from the void can always visit you and we will endeavour to pass on messages between worlds if there are those you wish to remain in contact with. This is the option we expect most of you will take."
To Remain
She lets the any comments or discussions about that bubble for a moment before she presses on. "However, we are very aware that there are those of you who do not have homes to return to. Some of you were tethered on the brink of death. Some of you come from places now destroyed. Some of you have physical places to return but have found family and friendship in the void far greater than anything you had in your lives before." She paused.
"For you we offer another option. You may remain. We believe that as we detangle your tethers from the Voidtrecker Express we can tether you, properly tether you, to this void base." She looked around. "I won't mince words, this option means that your non tethering selves will be no more, your bodies back on your world will die. You will be like those of Osiga and now those of system #1015. You would not be able to return to live on your world." She paused, to let the gravity of that sink in.
"You will always have a home on this base and from here..." She smiled warmly. "You can do what you wish. There are many mission craft that would happily take you on if you have found you have enjoyed assisting worlds in need. Otherwise there are other craft, scientific voyaging craft, tourist craft. We will help you find a place. Though you are free to go your own way, this would be your base but you would not be obligated to remain here. You would be welcome to visit those who return to their worlds, though we would ask that you limited visits to your own, to avoid complications." Again she gave a moment, for the discussion around that to die down before she spoke again.
To Go Back
"Finally. We are aware there are some of you in very difficult situations. Where taking you from your world has led to your whole world, or large parts of it in grave danger. We are aware worlds have fallen, for lack of you. For you we make another offer. We do not make this lightly, it is risky and we ask that those taking it have very good reason.." She looked around, silent and serious.
"We believe that using what we learned of anchoring through time we can return you, not only to the place you were brought from, but the moment. You would remember all that has passed but to your world it would be as if you were never gone at all." A pause.
"Because of the grave risks associated with this, we will be sealing the worlds of those that return in this way. These systems will never become void active and no void craft may enter those systems. As I say, it is not an option we give lightly."
The Choice is Yours
"Whatever you choose we will support you in it. We are also aware there are many of your number not with you. Please be assured that we are working through their tethers. We will do our best to give them the same choices and at the very least we will return them all to their homes. I understand there is a lot to think about. We believe we can hold on to your tethers for a couple more days and so please take this time to talk it through and to say your farewells."
She falls silent and steps back, letting people talk and discuss, whilst remaining close.
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"I... don't think y' can. There's not much to do; I'm just..." The process is more complicated to explain. "I just try an' give people what I know 'bout them. What their hoard item's for me." A grin gets sent her way, and after the slightest hesitation-- Esteban reaches out and places his hand gently on top of Najaran's head. A short pause again stops him, before he ruffles the thick black bangs, his grin widening.
"Thanks though." A smile draws mischief to the corner of his eyes, still reddened, but Esteban doesn't mind it anymore. He has better things to do.
"So y'd rather get somethin' to eat instead?" He prods cheerfully. "I c'n make maybe chocolate chip cookies now!" Probably. Maybe. If he's really careful to follow the recipe. "They're really good!"
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"Hmmmm, think 'f it like a treasure room?" He starts, figuring out this might as well be the first step into his explanation. "A big, big room, filled with all sortsa trinkets an' pretty things, lights catchin' all around. There's cushions an' warm blankets piled up in the middle, an' all 'round it... are things. Treasures." He's overusing that word.
"Precious trinkets that represent people. Friends an' family." With a grin, Esteban starts guiding them on their way, back to the kitchen for the promised snacks. It helps him steady his voice, and pace the lilt of it along with his footsteps as he goes on.
"There's twin fans with a gold'n-eyed fox. A lil' snowman, high on his house of cards. The branch 'f a pine tree with chamomille dryin' along it. A bottle of sunshine an' sand an' waves. A silver mirror with a cat 'ngraved." The lull of his voice is so steady and comforting, it might as well invite a warm nap as he speaks. Even when his voice falters for a moment, less sure of himself. "A dancin' scarf with dawn-suns charms." His head shakes as he moves them along.
"Somethin' to represent ev'ryone. You an' Allen an' Tidus. It's how I see you all!" He pours all the affection he can share with these words, the warmth and sunshine that his friends had given to him for these few, short months. These amazing, exciting months. That are coming to a close. That are coming to an end.
He's going to miss them.
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Goligan was mildly concerned, but kept it to himself.
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"Somethin' to... think 'bout your friends an' family? Somethin' to hold them close?" He sort of knows that his vision of people is... his own, he's aware people don't have to think so deeply about it usually. But, he'd also like to think that they won't forget him, and to him, memory and his hoard are so tightly woven together, that it seems strange to think of someone without thinking of their corresponding treasure.
"How d'you remember people, then?"
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"To me, I hold their treasure in my hands, in my mind, in my heart. An' I think of them. Havin' somethin' to hold... it's like a proof that I met them. That I love them." And that he lost them, sometimes. Handfulls of midnight scales, flowers dried and losing their shine.
"Are y' excited t' see y'r friends from home again?" he asks, because her joy and eagerness meant that-- surely, Najaran would go back home? And he didn't understand everything she'd told him, but he remembers that his little friend had quite some weight into the battle for her world, that she'd been tasked with far too much responsibility. He'd rather she didn't take it on herself, but, well, they already had a fight about it.
And Esteban wants to remember her smiling.
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"I hope y' get t' see them soon." They all should get the comfort of seeing their friends, of seeing their loved ones safe, before anything else hits them. It should be a rule, he thinks ruefully, but he doubts even the VoidTrecker can make this sort of promises. They'll have to take what they can get.
"What d' you mean 'we come an' get you?" he asks after a moment, a little confused. He... hadn't gotten the impression that they could pull someone else from out of the Void back into it? It sounded like the technology would have to be built. World by world.
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"The only ones who live in the same place as Miss Najaran are myself, her Master, and their Cards," Goligan said. "While she has met others in her travels, it was nothing like being on the Train."
Najaran nodded then returned the hug. "Mina said she has a way that we can get everyone back together after we leave the train! So this isn't goodbye at all! Just see you after we've saved our own worlds!"
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"Did Mina say how?" It keeps him still for now, cookies temporarily forgotten as he investigates this. Please let it be possible. He can't-- he can't...
Hope or despair? He's not even sure he'd recognize it at this point. He cards a hand through the short strands of his hair, trying to keep his thoughts in some semblance of order, and knowing he's failing splendidly at this. They're too scrambled-- he's not even sure what these feelings are, muddled and stuck between them, his thoughts a whorl of confusion. The edges of his eyes are damp again, but there are no tears yet.
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A soft chuckle escapes him, still wet at the ends as Esteban tries to keep hope steadily under hand and yet not let the gnawing pain get to him. It's a delicate balance. He considers it, considers his best course of action, before shaking his head.
"Maybe after we're done with the cookies?" he offers instead, trying to push back the need to know, the need to address this right away. Besides, he's a bit... selfish. If this is the last time he gets to spend with Najaran, it's not-- he doesn't want it to be so quick, so swift. His hand tangles in the loops of his poi as he start them on their way to the kitchen again, grinning once more.
"B'sides. I'd like t' share food with her? Wonder what she likes to eat?" If she's anything like Najaran and Esteban himself, then Mina would probably enjoy freshly baked foods as they discuss their options. And Esteban gets to keep his friend, even for just a few more minutes, to himself. To make sure she would be fine. She would go home and she would be fine.
"Tell me 'bout your friends?" He wonders aloud again, as soon as he's caught back with his thoughts. "Where 're they now, d'you know?" Goligan did imply that they were far off. "Alta, Joaquin--" he's missing one. He's definitely missing one. Dumdum was Not A Friend, but he can't remember much else about him? There was Kigi, but Kigi--
best not to bring her up.
Please ignore the poor icon choices, paid ran out.
"Hmmmm...." she thought, considering. "Well, I think Karin is probably in jail or something. But my Master says she should be okay. Alta is probably treasure hunting again. Joaquin is probably studying something. And Ganz is probably drinking."
She is wrong on at least one of those. But for all they were the closest friends - along with Kigi - she had before arriving on the Train... She'd known them each for such a short time, in such extreme circumstances that she had no clue what they did with themselves when things were calm. So really Karin was the only one she was at all sure of and that was because she had just seen her arrested before she left with her Master to find Zenith.
All good~
"Y' got to talk to your Master?" he asks instead, still following her down these burrows of questions where he's bound to get himself lost, where he's happy to get himself lost, as long as Najaran also has fun. It makes him feel lighter; not to be alone right now. That he hasn't lost them just yet. Tomorrow-- tomorrow is tomorrow's problem. He wants to enjoy the now.
"When was that?" he asks instead, prodding her to add more information as they finally reach the kitchen. Esteban is quite happy to chat as he works, pulling down one of the cookbooks that had been left here instead of the library, seeing as, well, this was the best place for them. He flips the book to the chocolate chip cookies page, and starts gathering the ingredients, listening with a gentle smile perched on his lips.
Re: All good~
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"Wait a sec-- 'Dians, Najaran, what happened t' you that day?"
He's... bracing for impact a bit. Najaran has such a way of tossing information at him that Esteban's not sure what she'll say next, and where it might strike. He worries for her, even knowing the danger is long past because that cannot have been an easy blow to swallow, cut off from her world as she was, as they all were once they'd been called to the train.
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"Anyway, we got there and my Master was there and I found out he was this big deal hotshot head guy this whole time!" she said, eyes wide, reliving the shock of it for a moment. Or maybe just expressing it broadly to amuse him.
"Anyway, he wanted me to talk to the other Cepters on the... um... there. About the Black Cepters. And I tried and kinda messed up. Then Karin said how no one should listen to me, cause of Goligan," she narrowed her eyes at that, holding her staff friend protectively. "And how I had to prove myself if I wanted anyone to listen to me, so they started a tournament. And wow, I thought the one in Soron had been something! Everyone was trying to kill me right out of the gate, like for real!" she said, but she didn't seem as bothered by that as she probably should. "And my Cards still wouldn't come. It was rally scary for a while. But then Karin started talking bad about my friends, and I got really angry and then all of a sudden there was all this power and I could use my Cards again. Anyway, I won the tournament." Brushing off hours of battle just like that.
"And at the end it was me against Karin, and we each had once Card left. And hers would have totally killed me. I learned lots about her and we became friends. She needed a friend," she said with a nod. "Anyway that last Card would have totally killed me! She had been told to use it by someone who wanted to hurt my Master. But I think he also wanted to hurt Karin." she frowned. "When I get back, I'm gonna visit her in jail once the Black Cepters are taken care of, before we all go off for adventures. Maybe she'll come with us. I hope so. She could use good friends like you and Mina for sure! Oh maybe Kotetsu can come too, you'll like him! He's big and furry and gives yummy bananas to people. And he's a great Cepter too! He's really cool. I wonder if Alta would want to come too..." Now she was thinking of all sorts of people who could enjoy traveling from world to world.
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It's kind of overwhelming. Everything is tossing him sideways, then upside-down as he tries to keep up with Najaran's flash story, noting that she can't tell him everything-- which, yeah, that makes sense-- but not prodding too deep because even what she does tell him is... a lot to take in.
"Why w'ldn't your cards come out?"
It's maybe a bit of a silly point to get hooked up on, but Najaran is... so young. He doesn't think her child-like, but he has to admit that there is comfort in knowing that she has her cards to back her up; that her troubles do not corner her all alone. Except... apparently, they do.
The recipe is forgotten for the moment, set aside and to be shared later because Esteban is good at multitasking Most Days, but this is kind of more important to him than sharing cookies right away. He's tracing her words slowly, trying to keep his head above all of it as he tries to piece it together. One step forwards and three steps back, kind of way.
For a moment, he really worries that her Master-- and the term gets his nose to scrunch in distaste-- has been using her all along for his own goals, but it... seems to have been something 'for the greater good of all?' He's not sure, and he doesn't really know how to handle that part right away.
"An' why would Goligan... stop them believin' you?"
As far as Esteban knew, Goligan was a clever staff, looking out for Najaran, in the same way that a grandfather might look after their grandchild. Unable to help, but there to warn if there was danger incoming? Or... Or something of the kind.
It's still a lot. It will take a good long while to process all of this.
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"As for me," Goligan said, when he realized that Najaran wasn't going to reply, "I have no memories before meeting Lady Najaran when she was a child. But in our travels we have found others like myself, and so far they have each been aligned with the Black Cepters."
"Goligan is good," Najaran said, firmly. "I don't care what the other talking staffs are doing, Goligan is my friend!"
"Lady Naja..." he said, tearing up.
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Truth. Truth is probably for the best.
"Bein' judged on what you look like 's horrible. An' you've been there for Najaran all along!" He rubs at the back of his head lightly, knowing he's being nosy, but. He trusts the old staff. Truly, he does. As for Najaran...
She could have died. She could have died, but she glosses over it with reckless ease that sits ill with Esteban. He'd scold her, or say something about it, but... but Najaran-- it's not the first time they have this talk. And Esteban doesn't want to sour his relationship with her now.
He takes the one step between them and goes to pull the small teenager into a hug, a gentle-strong squeeze to say something his words can't form. It'll have to speak up in his place.
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(no subject)
Thank you for the thread. For all the threads, my friend.